Celeste Gabranthal

Celeste Nadil Gabranthal is the matriarch of House Gabranthal and sponsor to Aiden Severin, the illegitimate son of the former Duke of Forthring.

Appearance
Celeste is an attractive young woman of only thirty-two years. Befitting her place as a warrior amongst the noble leaders, she is normally seen wearing modified armor allows her protection while maintaining the finery that is required amongst the nobility. The armor betrays her former history as an adventurer, along with the various scars that dot her body. The most prominent of these is one on her neck, an injury that renders her mute.

History
From what the party has gathered both from meeting Celeste and from the rumors in the cities, the Matriarch of the Gabranthal family has only come back to Forthring within the last five years. Prior to that, rumors persist that she was an adventurer, plundering dungeons and fighting monsters. It was a city-wide holiday when she returned, though her father, the then-current patriarch, Basch, was disturbed that she had been rendered mute during her travels.

Due to his heir's inability to speak, House Gabranthal adopted the use of Celeste's self-developed hand code in order to allow her to communicate and to be able to communicate silently to one another. When her father died two years later, Celeste stepped easily into leadership due to this change. Since her ascension, the House has never before been so profitable or so powerful.

Prior to the duke's death, Celeste had come into contact with his supposed heir, Aiden, and due to this meeting sponsored him to be the one to claim the ducal seat.

Noumenon's Notes
Rumors persist that Celeste is only sponsoring Aiden to gain the position of heir so as he can wed her or one of her sisters, thus allowing the Gabranthal House to gain the majority influence within the city.

Other rumors, more damaging ones, hint that there is or has been a relationship between her and the captain of the guard, Dieter Grym. Due to the fact that they are good friends, the rumor has gone undiminished for a good two years.

Personal Recommendation: Treat with caution. She appears to mean well, but only those of her house know what she truly says.